Smiling For Death
by BertaS
Summary: AU one shot, Odd little Snape fic, What would you do when faced with Death?


SMILING FOR DEATHBy BertaS

Disclaimer: I am just playing with them and will put them back eventually.

They were gathering again, which they had done each night since her capture. She was actually amazed at how much she was able to learn while chained to a wall. Well, chained was probably the wrong word, since the restraints were totally magical in nature, the chains weren't really there but were an illusion and the prisoners were in small alcoves that were probably once occupied by statues.

She didn't have it all figured out but knew that she had somehow slipped into a reality where magic worked and there was evidently a war going on. The fundamental good verses evil kind of thing. Unfortunately she hadn't met any of the good guys yet.

She knew that the worlds or realities, whatever, interacted but was unsure how that was. As far as she knew, the general public of her original reality knew nothing of this world.

She had recently inherited a house from a great, great aunt that she was unaware of having. There had been many things in the house that had puzzled her but were starting to make more sense. Especially the books, she had read some of them. The one which seemed to be a grimwayre with incantations, spells, potion recipes, and meditation techniques that she must have learned by just reading. She found that whenever anyone came near her with malicious intentions she slipped easily into a trancelike state.

This was the fifth night and the meeting was starting very much like the others, with many of those in attendance walking along the row of prisoners and fondling, slapping, pinching or other wise tormenting them.

As the first ones approached she took several slow breaths and allowed her eyes to glaze over, this made her look 'not all there' and suppressed her reactions, while still allowing her to remaining completely aware of what was happening around her.

She was aware of the two men that everyone seemed to be respectful of, although most hurried to move in to the meeting room ahead of them. They were being escorted by the one she had started thinking of as 'the Rat' not because he looked and acted like a rat, but because he smelled like one.

The two men moved along the row of captive running their hand across them the first making a slapping sound on each of his victims and grinning when they made any noises of protest. The second man merely touched each lightly in a somewhat disinterested caress.

There was a look of disappointment in the silver eyes of the first of the pair when her breathing didn't even change when his hand came down hard on her stomach.

The Rat said, "She doesn't react to any…" he broke off as the prisoner in question gasp loudly and stared into the obsidian eyes of the second respected man.

There was a soft clearing of a throat and all eyes turned to the door of the meeting room where everyone else had taken their places in the circle. The Dark Lord stood in the doorway. "Will you gentlemen be joining ussss?" he hissed.

The Rat squeaked and threw himself at the man's feet begging forgiveness while the pair bowed deeply and the second said in a deep velvety voice, "Just admiring your new art work, My Lord."

He glanced back and smirked at her as he entered behind the snake like man and took his place at his left side.

This evening proved to be different as when they were all in place the doors were closed, previously they had remained open, and she had listened and watched learning about this world.

When the doors opened again there was a general milling about and mingling that one usually associates with a party, which if you looked at these meetings as a political gathering it should be expected, but was another difference of this evenings meeting. Looking closely at the cloaks and shoes of these men she realized that they were of a higher quality than the men at the previous meetings. The eyes and shoes where the only way to really distinguish between the robed masked men, it reminded her of something she had heard said about the 'clan' in the US but she could not remember the exact quote.

The Snake that these men called their Lord and Master came out flanked by two men, she didn't know why but felt they where the last to enter this meeting. He indicated the 'art work' and said, "Severussss pick one."

Severus walked past looking at each one of them intently the starting at the far end he again trailed his hand along their stomachs eliciting almost no reaction form any of them as his touch was very light and most had quickly learned that these men wanted the ones who reacted the most.

When he reached the end and was once more facing the young woman who had gasp so at his first touch he noticed a change in that her eyes where clear, she was smiling slightly at him and actually leaned in to his touch.

"I'll take this one, if it pleases you, My Lord." He said with a deep bow.

The Dark Lord nodded, "Lucius, would you like to amuse us with one?" he waved for Lucius to choose.

"Thank you, My Lord." He too bowed before quickly choosing the youngest who looked to be about thirteen.

As the bonds dissolved the young girl tried to make a run for the door but Lucius was too quick and grabbed her slapping her hard and knocking her to the floor.

Severus' arm darted forward thinking that his own choice might bolt as well, however he found that she merely placed her hand in his as though he had been offering her his assistance in stepping off the small platform in the knish she was in. She also did not try to conceal her nudity but held herself like royalty, a small smile on her face.

As Severus moved her toward the center of the hall and the apparition point, Lucius' girl grabbed at her leg, screaming, "You've got to fight don't you know they are going to kill us?"

Severus watched as his choice bent and gently removed the girl's hands with a sad smile, before replying, "Of course they are. We are all dieing." She glanced at the robed Death-eaters, and their evil lord. "Some of us are just doing so more quickly than others." She turned to Severus and smiled, "I prefer to smile for Death."

When the Dark Lord laughed, it caused fear in all his followers, even though it was not his normal evil high pitched laugh.

"Oh, my, I don't think I have ever heard it put more truthfully. The old man would love thisss one." At the slightly startled looks of his followers he continued, "I'm tempted to keep her for myself." He moved closer then shook his head, "No, she is yours. Take your prize. Go. Do what you wish with her. However Severusssss, do **try to have some fun**." He was chuckling in an almost normal fashion, which had the Death-eaters shaking in fear.

After another deep bow, Severus pulled her to his chest and growled, "Hold on tight."

"Yes my dear, we wouldn't want you to leave any pieces behind." The Dark lord smiled as much as his face would allow as they disappeared.

When the world came back into focus she saw that she was in a large room. She didn't register much, stone wall, big fire place, as when she stepped back there was an intense pain in her ankle and the darkness spiraled in.

Severus was, needless to say very surprised to suddenly find that he was holding an unconscious young woman.

He carried her to the bed mumbling, "What the hell?"

He quickly ran his wand over her to determine the extent of her injuries. The ones he could see were not enough to cause any one to faint. Oh, there were bruises and cuts aplenty and a nasty looking bite mark on her right breast, but nothing life threatening.

The diagnostic spell revealed that she had not eaten for several days, had a broken ankle, cracked ribs, and some loose teeth. Also she had, at some point during her stay with the Dark Lord, been subjected to the cruactious curse.

This left him even more confused because when she had stepped toward him and walked across the hall she had practically glided with absolutely no trace of pain. He would pay dearly to know how she had suppressed the kind of pain he knew she had to be in to smile and be so calm. A potion from his pocket and a quick spell repaired the ankle and ribs. The rest would have to wait until she was awake.

The Dark Lord was in much too good of a mood, he was definitely up to something. Calling a house elf he gave quick instructions and stepped in to the floo to report to the Headmaster.

The morning sun woke her and her first thought before actually opening her eyes was, 'What a terrible dream.'

When she opened her eyes she suddenly sat bolt upright. As bedrooms go the one she was in was huge, she had seen flats that weren't as big as this.

The bed was big enough for four maybe five people. There was a large comfortable looking couch facing a beautiful fireplace with book shelves and a door on each side. Also an antique writing desk, a small breakfast table and another sitting area in one corner with two overstuffed arm chairs.

The whole room was done in earth tones of brown, green and beige. The walls were stone and on the walls that were not occupied by the massive bed or the fireplace, there were lots of arched windows. From where she sat she could see the horizon where the sky met a rolling sea.

Just as she was going to throw the covers back and get up the fire flared green and a man stepped out he was tall dressed all in black with a big crooked nose, sallow skin and long black hair that was some what oily looking.

It was when he spoke that she recognized him as the man she and dubbed 'Death' and the Dark Lord called Severussssss.

As he stepped out of the grate he noticed that she was setting in the middle of the bed looking very tempting, with sleep tangled hair and the blanket revealing more than it hid. "You are looking better this morning."

She smiled then brought her hand to her hair, "Better is a relative term. I probably look a fright." Her smile turned to a grimace of embarrassment. "I need to bathe, I... I hope Death will not mind waiting a little while longer."

"The Bath and loo are through there." He pointed to the door on the right of the fireplace. "You will find two potions on the counter drink the green one the yellow one is topical, use it anywhere it hurts."

"Thank you. Death is to kind."

"Shall I call you Persephone then?" He smirked.

As she stood she chuckled, "That's certainly prettier then my real name." she moved toward the bathroom, "I promise, I won't be long."

"You may take your time as I only have a few moments this morning." he snapped his fingers and a small creature with large round eyes and floppy ears popped into the room.

"Yes Master Severus?" the creature asked in a squeaky voice.

"Bitsy, this is Persephone. I am leaving her in your care. Bring her some breakfast and something to wear." The elf nodded and popped out to return within moments with the requested things.

"Persephone, if you need any thing else just ask Bitsy. I will check on you again this evening"

He whirled and black cloak billowing he disappeared in the fire as it again flared green.

She took a long bath slept some more and read a book from the shelves eating what the small elf brought her.

It was fairly late that evening as she sat in one of the armchairs with the book on her lap distracted from reading by the gorgeous sun set out the window.

When the fire once again flared green, she smiled as Death stepped out.

A/N Thanks to all who review.


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